Mark Wahlberg has produced Entourage and Boardwalk Empire for HBO. One is an amazing show, and the other is Entourage. So, presumably figuring they’ve got a 50/50 shot at success, HBO has given the go ahead for Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson’s show Ballers to be turned into a series. Via Variety:

(Ballers) centers on a group of former and current football players and will star Johnson, marking his first major foray into TV series acting. Johnson will play a retired athlete, while other characters in “Ballers” include a highly spiritual pro athlete, financial adviser, sports agent, ESPN sideline reporter and ex-wife of a pro football player.

It sounds interesting, but the name of the show is already picking at my brain with a Boston accent. Lately, HBO has been kicking out the jams with True Detective, and Dwayne Johnson has been likable in just about everything he’s been in, even Southland Tales.

The most I could find out about Steve Levinson is a bunch of producing credits, and 3 episodes of Entourage that he wrote. I’m willing to bet each season deals with whether or not Dwayne Johnson’s character can play football again, or if he should just do advertising and promo gigs. Maybe get into acting? Now, include a loud mouth sports agent that pushes him too far, and something about drugs and concussions, and you have your show. You’ve got to cover all of your bases.

If they had simply left out Marky Mark’s name and told me it was a show about ex-football players starring The Rock, I would be extremely excited. Gonna check it out anyway, but to say I am concerned about how douchey it winds up being is an understatement.

I feel like “How to Make it in America” which is also on HBO, also with Marky Mark’s name attached as Executive Producer deserves a little credit. It’s like a not as well known, less annoying Entourage.

Dwayne’s good. He is super-charismatic in really everything he has done, is surprisingly self-deprecating and willing to take risks. And given the roll HBO is on, don’t we all have to give it a chance?